Skip the packaged veggie dogs at your next cookout - grill these tangy marinated portobello mushrooms instead! They're easy, healthy & flavorful.
We’re all familiar with the ubiquitous portobello burger, so I’ll be honest: I originally planned to serve these mushrooms in hot dog buns for the novelty of it. For my money, though, portobellos really work better in dog form than in burger-form. They get more fully covered in the tangy, savory marinade, and (because they’re thinner strips) they cook a lot more quickly and more evenly.
Portobello Veggie Dog Recipe Ingredients
Growing up around Chicago, hot dogs were never taken lightly. A good Chicago dog has a myriad of components, including mustard, onions, a whole pickle, peppers, and more. This recipe is by no means one for a classic Chicago dog, but, using it as inspiration, I made sure my components included something tangy, something fresh, something meaty, something spicy, and something bright:
- Portobello mushroom strips take the place of meat, adding their umami flavor & meaty texture. A simple 5-ingredient marinade of balsamic, mustard, salt, pepper & olive oil makes them extra rich & tangy.
- Tomatoes and red onion form a fresh slaw that I season with lime, salt & pepper. It adds crunch and brightness to the dogs.
- Serrano pepper slices kick up the heat.
- And a drizzle of mustard gives everything a tangy finish.
How to Make Grilled Portobello Mushroom Hot Dogs
This healthy veggie dog recipe is SO easy to make! Just follow these simple steps:
- Use a damp kitchen towel to wipe your portobello mushroom caps clean and then twist off the thick stems. Save the stems for stock or compost them.
- Slice the caps into 4 long slices – you’ll use two per dog.
- Mix together the balsamic/mustard marinade, and brush it onto the mushroom strips until they’re well-coated. More marinade = more flavorful dogs.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high, and grill the mushrooms until grill marks form and they’re tender and juicy, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat!
- Stuff two mushroom strips into each hot dog bun, and load your veggie dogs up with slaw, sliced serranos, and mustard. Dig in!
Portobello Mushroom Dog Serving Suggestions
I love to serve my mushroom dogs with a healthier pasta salad, like this one with broccoli or this one with with tons of summer veggies. Couscous salad, strawberry salad, summer slaw, or watermelon salad would also be great on the side.
Complete the meal with my favorite crispy baked sweet potato fries and chipotle sauce for dipping!
Looking for more portobello mushroom recipes?
Try making veggie burgers, fajitas, or tacos next!
Portobello Mushroom Dogs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Salt & pepper
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced into 4 long slices each
- ½ cup red onion
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- Squeeze of lime
- Salt & pepper
- Yellow mustard
- 4-5 hot dog buns
- Ketchup on the side (optional)
- 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- In a small bowl, mix together the chopped red onion and sliced tomatoes. Add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper. Stir and set aside.
- Preheat your grill or grill pan. In another small bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together (olive oil, balsamic, mustard, salt & pepper), and brush onto the portobello slices until they’re coated.
- Grill mushroom strips on each side until grill marks form and mushrooms are tender and juicy (about 3-4 minutes per side). Place 2 mushroom slices into each hot dog bun. Top liberally with onion & tomatoes, some serrano slices, and a swirl of mustard.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice & zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 smashed clove of garlic
- 1 cup dried macaroni noodles
- ¼ cup chopped red and/or green bell pepper
- ¼ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup peas (if frozen, thaw them)
- 2 tablespoons capers or chopped olives
- handful of chopped fresh basil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- optional: ¼ cup (or more) greek yogurt
- Cook the macaroni noodles in salty water according to package directions.
- In a large bowl, (at the bottom of it) mix together the olive oil, lemon, lemon zest, mustard, garlic, and some salt and pepper. Add the chopped scallions, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, capers and sliced basil. When your macaroni noodles are cooked, drain them well, then transfer them into the large bowl. Toss to mix the noodles with the veggies and the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings, chill until ready to serve. If you want a creamy salad, add a big scoop of greek yogurt once your salad is somewhat chilled.
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This post is in partnership with French’s Mustard.
yum!! I usually make a red wine vinegar & dijon mustard marinade for my grilled portobellos, but this sounds delish as well! i loveeee mustard!
that’s pretty close to what I did – so simple and delicious!
I just used French’s mustard in my Welsh rarebit recipe!
Did you like them? Did they taste like mushroom or like meat? I’d just like to know because of the people I’ll be making it for 🙂
these definitely taste like mushrooms – there’s not any sort of meat or fake-meat flavor involved 🙂
Love this idea! As a vegetarian who hates fake meat, poratbella burgers are something of a staple for me at burger-type restaurants, cookouts, etc. I don’t know why I’ve never thought of making them into “hot dogs” – it makes sense that they’d cook much better that way. My go-to salad dressing is a mixture of olive oil, balsamic, mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and sometimes some fresh garlic.
thanks! I try to stay away from fake meats too 🙂
Hello delicious looking mac salad! I hope it would be ok with soya yoghurt as my fiance can’t have dairy.
it would probably work just fine – or you can leave the yogurt out altogether!
Those pups look amazing! I love throwing yellow mustard, mayo, and italian dressing together as a pasta salad dressing…yum!
My mustard mixology idea is to try mixing mustard in for an extra tang on twice baked potatoes! I bet it’s delish.
I absolutely love this! My mustard mixology would be to use it in a potato salad! I love how light it is compared to mayo versions. Awesome!
Oh my gosh, I love this idea! They’d be so perfect for all the upcoming game days, especially as I don’t have very many vegetarian options in my recipe pocket!
With all the portobello ‘burgers’ I have eaten and been disappointed in (due to their uncooked centers), I don’t know why I haven’t thought of this before. I also love the olives in the salad, although I would probably be the only one eating them. Now, this might sound weird, but my favorite quick trick with mustard is to mix it up with a bit of maple syrup, maybe some balsamic, and a drop of good olive oil, for a dressing that somehow tastes good on everything from salads to portobellos.
I can’t stand the uncooked centers either 🙂 I usually make them a little smaller to get them to cook through (sliders instead of burgers), but the hot dog version was better & also faster!
Portobello pups is such a great name and these look to really deliver in the flavor department as well. Though I will say I am quite a fan of the hot dog too 🙂
thanks! Jack thought of the name at the very last minute 🙂
I love the idea of switching up the portobello burger and making hot dogs instead! I am just in love with hot dogs, though. 🙂 My favorite thing to do with mustard is to mix a spicy brown or dijon with yogurt and use it to dip oven fries. So good!
Those portobello pups look delicious! i ma definitely going to have to try them.
I make a chickpea sandwich spread using mashed chickpeas, grated carrot, diced red onion, all mixed together with vegan mayo, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, and salt and pepper.
Ooh yum! I’m going to make these for my block party and no longer have to decline the hot dogs! 🙂 That macaroni salad looks TO DIE for as well!
Delish!
I want to bite that portobello (kind of ) hot dog!
http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr
I don’t normally like portobello burgers, but these “pups” look tasty.
I like to mix my mustard with mayo and use it to bind mashed chickpea salad for sandwiches. Yum!
You make everything look so beautiful in your photos…
Looks delicious!
Isabelle @ Head Red & Blondi
thanks Isabelle 🙂
Ohhh my gosh that looks amazing. I just want to reach into the screen and take a big bite of it right now! A vegetarian’s dream come true on a summer holiday.
I love this idea! I always make portabello “burgers” but I love the idea of slicing them lengthwise and making them hot dogs. Adorable, fun and so delicious. Thanks for the great idea!
These portobello pups are just too cute and they sound delicious. I’d take a grilled mushroom dog than a mystery meat hot dog any day. Can’t wait to try this!